Winter Puppets
by Bottou-chan
Summary: Neon and Joker are on a mission, but a snowstorm changes their plans.
1. Winter Puppets: Duty

**Winter Puppets**

**Chapter One : Duty**

**by Bottou-chan**

[**My Page**][1]

  
Nichiren Niazu leaned contentedly back into his pillows. Outside, snow fell silently onto mountain slopes. Inside was a warm, toasty 82-degrees F, with faint strains of a classical station floating up from the first floor of his Swiss-style chalet. Slightly louder was the sound of shower water running in the bathroom attached to his room. The door was slightly cracked, and wisps of steam drifted out. Niazu could imagine the fogged mirrors and the sauna-like warmth in that room.  
  
The thought made him snuggle deeper into his pillows. How cozy. Soon, she'd be out. She always looked cute, with her hair wrapped up in a towel, like a turban...  
  
He smiled.  
  
"Comfy?" inquired a curious voice, slightly nasal.  
  
Niazu visibly flinched at the unexpected interruption of his reverie. He turned to see a man dressed in an odd costume of black and white, holding a large gray pointy object, standing less than two feet away from his right side. Though masked, his mouth was smiling in false concern.  
  
"Who-- who let you in? How'd you get past the-- the--?" Niazu's fingers clutched the blankets until his knuckles were white, and his voice was a hoarse whisper.  
  
"I dunno," came the cheerful reply. In a more conspiratorial voice, the figure leaned over and added, "But you've got one guess as to why we're here."  
  
"We..?" Niazu pried his gaze from the weird masked face which was right in front of his own, and saw a bored-looking redheaded woman standing in the background, holding a flute. "You're not from... Rikichirou, are you? I thought we'd finished our business."  
  
"Wrong, sorry," came the answer. "Mo-ri Kou-ran." And he punctuated each syllable with a little jab at the front pocket of Niazu's scarlet silk pajamas. "We're his bill collectors, and you haven't kept up with your payments."  
  
"I'll... I hadn't realized we were at this point," laughed Niazu shakily. "Believe me, I'll have the funds deposited into his account Monday morning, first thing."  
  
"Ah, we've danced this little dance before! Neon-han, do you remember the steps?" Joker clapped his hands delightedly, and half-turned to consult the woman.  
  
"For God's sake, stop playing around," said Neon irately, her arms crossed and looking around. The longer they dilly-dallied over Joker's games, the harder it would be to make a clean escape.  
  
"But this time, I swear, I promise," gasped Niazu. "Just please, no, don't--"  
  
"Ah, what good would it do Mori-han if we were to make an example of you?" inquired Joker, flipping a stray rasta braid back behind his shoulder where it belonged. He thumped his Taishaku Kaiten on the Persian rug for emphasis. "All we have is a message from him." His grin widened so that Niazu could see fangs. In English, he added, "Pur-sent-o for you!"  
  
***  
  
Reiko came out of the bathroom, toweling her hair dry. "We're out of the herbal essence. You might want to send Tetsu into town for--" Her mouth fell open as her gaze drifted onto the bed, and all was silent for a moment or two.  
  
Then the silence was split by a scream of horror.  
  
***  
  
"You're going to get us killed someday, with your stupid, childish games," snapped Neon crankily. "If you're going to play around, please don't do it when I'm involved."  
  
"Ah, please, Neon-han; I can't just show up and _kill_ the guy. A little friendly chit-chat first off. It helps break the tension and makes him relax. It's no fun dying when you're tense," reasoned Joker, warming his hands over the heater on the passenger side of the car. The snow was falling in thicker flurries now, and the windshield wipers cleared them away, quickly, rhythmically. Hot air gusted through the heaters at full blast, warming the numbed Uruha assassins after their short trek from the chalet to where their car was lying in wait.  
  
"Curse it. I hate driving in this stuff," said Neon, peering through the windshield. "The roads will re-ice pretty soon, and somehow, that always inspires the bakas of the world to get into their cars and go for rides."  
  
Joker yawned and stretched. "Pilot, unless you need this navigator to navigate you, this navigator will navigate himself into a good nap."  
  
"You need sleep?" asked Neon, arching an eyebrow.  
  
"Why not?" yawned Joker. "You were on that stakeout, too, last night."  
  
"Were we on the same mission? I believe you were staking out the waitstaff," laughed Neon shortly. "I believe *I* was watching Niazu. You were watching the waitresses, his girlfriend, the receptionist at the ski lodge--"  
  
"Oi, Neon-han, so unkind! Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" He gave her an infuriating grin, which she ignored in favor of keeping her eyes glued to the road, on the watch for icy patches.  
  
"We should have put the chains on," grumbled Neon, before glancing at her friend and addressing his question. "It's not so much jealousy as bitterness," she replied sweetly. "If I spent the whole evening staring at the cute guys, I'd never hear the end of it."  
  
"That's because you only have eyes for me," reasoned Joker good-naturedly. "Although I *did* notice that when you weren't staring daggers at me, you *were* watching that Niazu fellow. I can't say I care much for your taste in men, and I can't say anything about his taste in 'jammies, but if he distracts you from my dangerous good looks, I guess I have to accept that." He pretended to preen in the flip-down mirror in front of his seat.  
  
"Oh, please," scoffed Neon, but she was smiling. She even felt spunky enough to add, "How could Niazu *ever* succeed in distracting me from someone as amazingly cool as you?"  
  
"My point exactly!" crowed Joker. "So... whaddaya say we get ourselves a little love nest up in the mountains? I believe there will be a certain chalet going onto the real estate books pretty soon."  
  
"Nahh, I hear some guy was murdered there. In his own bedroom, even. What if his ghost haunts the place?" Neon teased back.  
  
"Point taken," conceded Joker. "Say, I wonder who would have done such a foul deed."  
  
Neon shrugged. "Foul deed or no, he got what he deserved. Anyone who gets involved with the bad side of Mori's business has it coming to them, if we ever have to step in. Since when do we deal with _nice_ people?"  
  
"Mmmm," answered Joker. He tugged his gloves back on, and heaved an enormous yawn. "The warmth... so nice..." He tilted his seat back slightly.  
  
Whatever else he was planning on saying was lost as his breathing became even and easy.

   [1]: http://www.geocities.com/reccamuseum/



	2. Winter Puppets: The Unexpected

**Winter Puppets**

**Chapter Two : The Unexpected**

**by Bottou-chan**

[**My Page**][1]

  
He was awakened by a sliding jolt and a muffled obscenity. His first reaction was to tell Neon that it wasn't very ladylike, but when the sliding jolt was replaced by a very solid slamming feeling, banter was forgotten.  
  
That was the first moment. The second moment, his eyes flew open, and the windshield was a mass of grayish-white in front of him, with intricate, spidery cracks in the glass. Somehow, his own window was completely missing, and snow was piling in onto the side of his head. There were growing red patches in the snow, and a dull, throbbing ache in the side of his head. Several smaller, sharper pains began appearing randomly along the side of his neck and shoulder.  
  
"Oi, Neon-han, why is everything ninety-degrees off?" he asked, getting his bearings, not daring to move.  
  
"The car tipped over," said Neon flatly. "Kurei's going to kill me."  
  
"Oi, Neon, car's don't just tip over-- it requires a little something else," Joker debated delicately.  
  
Neon swiveled to stare at him. "The road is icy. We don't have chains on the tires. And we're driving an SUV. I don't need to take anything from *you* right now, okay? Let's just get out of this mess." She winced and clutched her wrist, biting her lower lip.  
  
It took a good deal of maneuvering, but they succeeded in freeing themselves from the wreckage. An assessment of the damage wasn't particularly heartening. The car was lying on its side. The two passenger windows had shattered completely, and the windshield was severely cracked. Joker had a number of minor cuts which bled profusely, against his will, in addition to a large knot on the side of his head. Neon seemed to have sprained a wrist on the steering wheel. It took only a second with the Taishaku Kaiten to right the vehicle once more, but it only confirmed what they knew would be the case.  
  
The car wasn't about to go anywhere anytime soon. The passenger side looked rather mangled, one of the tires was no good, along with countless internal damages which the two assassins were too tired and too cold to assess.  
  
Joker irately wiped at the side of his head with his scarf. "Were there any towns?" he asked, looking nervously at the sun, stomping his feet to keep them warm. Darkness came early, in the mountains, and the temperature would drop considerably lower than it already was.  
  
Neon shook her head. "It's a pretty remote place," she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "I've driven this route before, and you can go for an hour without seeing another car on the road. There are a few villages... if memory serves, there's one a few miles up the road."  
  
"Let's do that, then," nodded Joker. He looked at Neon with concern. "Can you walk okay?"  
  
"It's my wrist, not my ankle," snapped Neon, peeved at the thought of being perceived as weak. It didn't stop her from wincing, though, as they began trudging along the side of the road, through the flurries. The continuous bounce of walking sent a shot of pain through her wrist at each step. She nearly slid and fell once, and Joker caught her. From then, she kept a tight grip on the sleeve of his overcoat with her good hand, and kept her injured one close against her chest.  
  
They trudged together in silence as the shadows lengthened and the flurries increased. They were cold, wet flakes, which spotted Neon's hair. Joker had removed his mask, due to the bleeding, and had left it behind in the vehicle. His own uncovered head was now spotted generously with flakes of snow. He wished they'd brought more than their overcoats and their scarves. He wished they'd brought waterproof shoes. He wished they'd brought earmuffs and warm woolen knit hats. Heck, he'd be happy for a cell phone and a bonfire right now. He pursed his lips and continued walking, noticing with apprehension that the shadows were lengthening and still no sign of habitation appeared.  
  
"We're in a mountain valley," explained Neon, her breath curling in tendrils of vapor as she spoke. "This part is heavily forested, but there's a few scattered farms that have been cleared out, and that village shouldn't be too far ahead."  
  
"Oi, Neon-han, forget the village!" said Joker, pointing. "See, look." He pointed-- there was seemingly a street in front of them which came to a T-intersection to the road they were on. "If we follow that street, I think I saw lights."  
  
"Okay," said Neon reasonably. She laughed nervously. "Let's just hope we don't scare the people out of their wits."  
  
Joker made a face. "They'd have to be heartless to turn us away on a night like this," he remarked.  
  
"So if any of them look like Mikoto, we should leave immediately?" grinned Neon, raising an eyebrow impishly.  
  
"If any of them have eyes that don't point in the same direction, we should leave immeditately," returned Joker, a fang glinting.  
  
"Like I said," teased Neon. She didn't care much for Mikoto, and let the fact be well-known.

   [1]: http://www.geocities.com/reccamuseum/



	3. Winter Puppets: Safe Haven

**Winter Puppets**

**Chapter Three : Safe Haven**

**by Bottou-chan**

[**My Page**][1]

  
An hour later, Neon and Joker were sitting on a bench which had been dragged up to a fireplace hearth. A good-sized fire was crackling away, and they were wrapped in blankets. Neon's wrist had been taped up, and the glass had been cleaned from Joker's neck, which was now striped with bandaids. Mugs of green tea were on the floor by their feet, in varying stages of consumption.  
  
Chii, the hostess of the Eipuriru Hotel, came in carrying a large pot of tea. "It's good for health and healing," she explained, carefully replenishing the mugs. She preferred to use more traditional cups when serving tea, but necessity had dictated otherwise. The tiny cups would have hardly provided a mouthful, and would have been too much trouble to keep filled. "Drink up."  
  
"Thank you," said Neon, stretching her toes closer to the fire as her fingers closed around her replenished mug. The warmth seeped through the ceramic. She closed her eyes and took a sip.  
  
"Perhaps you're doing a little better?" inquired Chii, looking at them with concern. "I think I got all the glass out, and we should probably change the bandages in an hour or so."  
  
Joker nodded. "That would be best. Do you have a phone I can use? I need to call long-distance to tell a friend we're all right, but we'll be late showing up."  
  
"There's one at the front desk you can use," smiled Chii.  
  
"Arigatou." Joker swigged the last of the tea down, making a slight face. Green tea was never his favorite beverage, and it wasn't the best idea in the world to swig any hot liquid. He left the two women together in front of the fireplace.  
  
"I'm surprised you had an accident in this weather," said Chii, indicating the flurries of snow which were falling. Night had fallen, but the snow still fell silently. "Usually, if there's some snow on the ground, it helps you drive better, as opposed to just driving directly on the ice."  
  
"My bad luck," said Neon, a rueful smile on her lips. She took a dainty sip. "Perhaps I haven't been living right."  
  
The two women laughed easily over the joke.  
  
"Are you very hungry?" inquired Chii solicitously. "If you like, I can fetch some soup from the kitchen. The chef makes a marvelous egg-drop soup. It should be warming and filling, but not too heavy, considering your injuries."  
  
"Thank you for your kindness," replied Neon kindly. Another sip. "I'm sure Hiroji would love some. He can eat no matter what, although I must admit, I don't have much of an appetite myself."  
  
"Wait until you smell it, and then you'll be ravenous," Chii reassured Neon with a knowing smile. She refilled both mugs once more before leaving with the teapot.  
  
Several minutes passed before Joker returned with a concerned look on his face.  
  
"Is all well?" inquired Neon curiously.  
  
Joker glanced around to make sure no one could overhear. He resumed his place on the bench next to the fire, leaned forward, and mumbled under his breath, "Renzo Nobio."  
  
"Renzo Nobio?"  
  
"Shhhh... Renzo Nobio. You know, *the* Renzo Nobio."  
  
Neon looked at the ceiling for inspiration. "Ohhh..." she answered, as her memory suddenly struck. "Him..."  
  
"Bodyguard for Shigemasa, who runs that drug ring," said Joker.  
  
"So that means Shigemasa is here, too, then," concluded Neon.  
  
"How brilliant of you to state the obvious," remarked Joker dryly. "But I also saw Tetsui and Nakaga pass by."  
  
"They're in the Shigemasa gang, too, right?" hazarded Neon. "I know Nakaga is, but I don't think I've ever heard of Tetsui before."  
  
"Nakaga is Shigemasa's right hand," replied Joker. "Tetsui is in charge of bumpings-off, as it were."  
  
"Ahhhh," answered Neon. "So. Did they recognize you?"  
  
Joker shook his head. "I left my mask behind, and since my extremely distinctive uniform was pretty badly bloodied, I was decked out like this." 'This' referred to a pair of black sweatpants, a nondescript gray sweatshirt, and a pair of black socks, all borrowed from Chii's husband, who was fortunately an equally-tall, equally-thin man. "So no, I think it's safe to say they don't know we're here."  
  
"Let's keep it that way," answered Neon, blowing at the steam which curled from the surface of her tea.  
  
Joker shook his head. "No can do. I told Kurei about it. He was quite pleased. Told me to take Shigemasa out of the picture completely. His men, too."  
  
"Any given reason? It seems a bit odd Kurei would make such a decision so spontaneously."  
  
"He didn't say, but I can guess. I don't suppose you ever worked much with Ototarou? He was Mokuren's predecessor. A much more charming person than Mokuren, too, for that matter. Mokuren is more Mori's man than Kurei's, and I think Kurei has always hosted a grudge for the Shigemasa people since they made a hit on Ototarou."  
  
"Kind of tall? Wire-rimmed glasses?" asked Neon curiously. "Oh, him. I remember. Goodness, I hadn't thought about him in ages... he meant so much to Kurei?"  
  
"Ototarou was really more useful as a secretary to Kurei than as a member of the Uruha. But the madougu showed an affinity to him, so Kurei had him experiment with its powers. It didn't last too long before he ended up where he shouldn't have, and that was curtains for him." Joker paused. "Of course, Kurei immediately had ten men taken down from Shigemasa's people, to compensate for Ototarou. But you know Kurei and his grudges... I doubt he's ever really gotten over it."  
  
Neon sat in silence for a few moments. "Yours is in the car, still. Mine's in my purse," she said absentmindedly, referring to their weapons. "But to be perfectly honest, I feel so horrible, I just want a good night's rest and nothing else to bother about." Her gaze fell to her bandaged hand. "Not to mention, it'll be hard to perform with this hand the way it is."  
  
One of her words seemed to inspire a gleam of impish mischeviousness, and he opened his mouth to make an unwanted comment. But Chii seemed to have chosen that moment to make her reappearance.  
  
"I brought two bowls," she said, carefully setting a tray in front of them. "See, doesn't it just smell so good?"  
  
"Oh, yum," answered Neon, feigning enthusiasm. She leaned forward to accept her bowl, and she sniffed the aroma. "Mmm, it does smell good. It almost makes me hungry."  
  
"Eat up; you need your strength," answered Chii cheerfully, and the conversation was steered into safer channels.

   [1]: http://www.geocities.com/reccamuseum/



	4. Winter Puppets: Warm Night

**Winter Puppets**

**Chapter Four : Warm Night**

**by Bottou-chan**

[**My Page**][1]

  
"Listen to that wind!" exclaimed Joker, pulling the curtain back a bit. On the other side of the glass, the snow had resumed its falling. A harsh wind gusted the flakes, whipping them into flurrying clouds of white specks. "And look at that snow fall. We're going to have a heckuva time digging the car out tomorrow." 

"Forget the car and close the curtain. You're chilling the rest of the room," said Neon, her teeth chattering. 

"But the window's closed," reasoned Joker, allowing the curtain to drop back into place. 

"The cold comes through more easily when the curtain's open. I can feel it," insisted Neon. 

She was dressed in a flannel nightgown of Chii's. The other woman wasn't quite as tall as Neon, but it would do. With a few quick hops she bounded across the floor and jumped into bed, burrowing under the quilt and pulling it up to her chin, making shivery-cold noises as she did so. 

"Oi, Neon-han. You want me to turn the heat up?" inquired Joker solicitously, but there was an impish gleam in his eye. Between the bangs and the dark, Neon couldn't see it, but she assumed it was there. 

"Change the thermostat, yes. Anything else, I'll pass." 

Joker padded across the floor in his sock-clad feet, adjusted a small dial on the wall, and then slid into the bed. 

"I cranked it up a notch," he assured her. 

She responded with an incoherent mumble. The words themselves were muffled by the pillow under which she had buried her head. 

He lay there in silence for a while, contemplating the pattern of the shadows cast on the wall by some outdoor lamp. Presently, he broke the silence. 

"Neon?" 

"Mmmf." 

"What's your impression of Chii-han?" 

"Mmmf." 

"No, really. What do you think?" His voice had an uncharacteristic thoughtful tone to it. 

Neon raised her head from the warm cave she had created. "She's a decent person," she admitted. "We'd probably be suffering from severe frostbite or worse if she hadn't tended to us. She has good taste in pajamas, bad taste in perfume. Could stand to lose about five pounds, and is very concerned about the well-being of her guests. That's what I think about her." Neon paused before adding, "You?" 

"I think Chii-han is a very... intriguing woman. She has been... trained not to ask questions," said Joker, choosing his words carefully. "She's a very capable woman, and it's difficult to faze her. It rather makes me suspicious." 

"Does it now?" inquired Neon, burrowing back under the pillow. Her next words were faint but distinguishable. "So what do you propose to do?" 

"I merely propose that we take care of this job here, and get a move-on. Kurei-han should send someone by to pick us up tomorrow. Three o'clock, sharp, at the door. He suggested we time ourselves accordingly." 

"I hope the snow doesn't prevent them from getting through," answered Neon drowsily. 

"It won't," answered Joker, shaking his head. "A little thing like snow won't throw off Kurei's plans." 

There was no answer. 

He spent the next hour staring at the patterns on the wall before sleep finally overtook him, too. 

   [1]: http://reccamuseum.myqth.com



	5. Winter Puppets: Cold Day

**Winter Puppets**

**Chapter Five : Cold Day**

**by Bottou-chan**

[**My Page**][1]

  
"Ah, good morning!" said Chii, smiling at them as they entered the dining room. "Or rather, good afternoon!" 

"Are we so late?" asked Neon with an apologetic smile. "I apologize; I'm not usually such a sleepyhead." 

"It's quite understandable," answered Chii. "After all, you've been through a lot. It would be odd if it didn't try and force you to take it easy for a while." She looked around. "We're snowed in," she explained to the pair. "The snowfall was heavier than we had expected, and the Inn is pretty much cut off for the next few days. Fortunately, the generator is working just fine, so we have heat. The water's working, too. We have enough food, so don't worry about that. But I thought I'd let you know," she explained to them, looking concerned. "But speaking of food, you're just in time for lunch; sit here, and help yourself to the buffet." 

"You're too kind," answered Joker, sending her a charming smile. 

She blushed and hurried away to get their silverware. 

*** 

"Neon, do you notice anything... odd?" Joker was intently sipping his chicken noodle soup, and might have been discussng the weather. 

"Let me guess. Hell froze over, which is why I woke up in bed with you this morning," suggested Neon sarcastically. 

Her spirits had taken a considerable plunge after hearing about being snowbound for an indeterminable number of days. 

"No, besides that," said Joker, waving the frivolity aside. Somehow, frivolity was better when it came from *him*. He leaned forward. "This is the best chicken noodle soup I've ever had." 

"Huh?" asked Neon, and then realized that Chii had come up behind her. In a more collected voice she added, "I'm glad you like it. Such a picky eater." 

"More water?" asked Chii, holding a pitcher in her hand. 

"We're quite all right, thank you," answered Neon, smiling politely. 

"I'll have some, please," requested Joker, holding out his glass to be filled. "By the way, tell the chef I love the soup." 

"Certainly," smiled Chii, and bustled away. 

Neon watched her leave before asking in a lower tone, "What were you going to say?" 

Joker played with a noodle floating in his soup. "Every person here is a member of Shigemasa's group." 

Neon furtively eyed the population of the dining room. It was sparse, but enough: about ten or fifteen people, scattered at different tables. 

"And that means that the Eipuriru Hotel is *not* a hotel. It's a front," explained Joker, in his softest voice. 

Neon stopped trying to spear the tomato in her salad which she had been chasing around her plate. "So what you're saying is..." 

"That in all likelihood, Chii also has ties to the group," Joker finished reasonably. 

"You know, we could-- theoretically-- take out so many members of the Shigemasa gang at once, that the group would be crippled forever," suggested Neon. 

Joker shrugged. "I was never much into the whole mass-murder idea," he said. 

"I like Chii, but I don't like her enough to go against Kurei's will," reasoned Neon, sipping her water. "If they caused Kurei pain-- well, I'll kill them." 

"It would be a dirty rotten way to repay Chii for her kindness," reasoned Joker. "Taking us in like that, fixing us up-- and then we kill her friends." 

"It's not *nice* but it's what we've been told to do," said Neon. She pointed her fork at Joker. "You don't have a choice, either, so I don't want to hear it from you." 

"That's where you're wrong," said Joker smugly. "It's in my contract. I have power over life and death... I don't have to do what I'm told. This is *your* decision, Neon-han." He checked his watch. "And you have two hours to make it." 

   [1]: http://reccamuseum.myqth.com



	6. Winter Puppets: Puppets... or People?

**Winter Puppets**

**Chapter Six : Puppets... Or People?**

**by Bottou-chan**

[**My Page**][1]

  
It was quarter-til-three... and Neon still hadn't come to a decision yet. 

Joker wasn't helping much, either. 

Chii's husband had finally made his appearance. He was Joker's height, with just a little more weight than the skinny Osakan. He seemed like a decent man; he, Joker, and Chii were laughing and talking together off to one side of the crackling fireplace. 

About seven or eight men were scattered around the room, some talking in small groups; another reading a newspaper; still another keeping an eye on the snow outside. The fall had stopped, but the snow remained waist-high. A feeble attempt at a path had been made and given up upon. 

It drove her crazy. She was surrounded by Kurei's enemies... she had been specifically told to 'take Shigemasa and his men out of the picture'. Specifically told... specifically told... specifically told... and yet, for the first time, she sincerely loathed to go through with a mission. 

With the others, it had been business. Strictly business. Pay Mori off, you were safe. If you didn't pay him for the privilege of living, you risked having your membership revoked. 

It was as simple as that. 

And yet now, the personal factor had been introduced. It wasn't that she felt a bond towards any of the visitors at the hotel. If it looked like a front, smelled like a front, and Joker said it was a front-- it had to be a front. He was more versed in the knowledge of Who was Who in the underworld. Neon only got to see specific parts of it. Yet it was an abstract bond. Chii obviously had ties to the gang... they were her friends, and by harming Chii's friends, she was hurting Chii. 

The woman who had saved them. 

What an ugly way to repay her. 

A simple 'sorry' wouldn't suffice to make up for the harm she would cause by betraying the woman's hospitality. A neatly-lettered note on heavy paper, check enclosed to cover the carpet-cleaning, wouldn't remove the stains from Chii's heart. She was kind, gentle, and caring. You could tell by how she had bandaged Neon's wrist, patiently pulled the glass from Joker's neck, and was now gazing at her husband. 

She had a life. A life that Neon could topple with just a few well-chosen notes of her flute. 

And yet... there was her Kurei. 

This man, this mysterious rival of his-- he had hurt Kurei. He had further scarred Kurei's already blackened soul. He was just one more reason why Kurei could never be happy. It didn't matter if the mythical Shimegasa was Neon's own personal best friend in the world. 

If he had caused Kurei agony, no matter who it was-- they would die. Whoever they were. And yet... Kurei was so far away, and Chii was *here*, smiling and laughing, oblivious to the thoughts passing through Neon's mind. 

The redheaded woman stood up abruptly. "It's time to go," she said sharply, tugging at Joker's sleeve. 

Joker looked at her innocently. "Oh, so soon? Before we go, there's someone I'd like you to meet." He indicated Chii's husband. "Neon, this is Shimegasa." 

*** 

The words echoed hollowly in Neon's brain. Not only was Chii associated with the drug ring, she was married to its leader?! 

Unthinkable! 

And yet-- how did that change things? 

She steeled herself. With a pleasant smile, she discreetly opened her purse and withdrew her flute. She bowed slightly and replied, "Uruha Jyushinshuu." 

A frown flickered across the man's face as Neon raised the flute to her lips. The familiar sound of the Fukyo Waon sang forth, loud and clear. 

Joker recognized the familiar sound of "Prelude" and didn't have to even look to know what was happening. Shimegasa stood there, watching stupidly, not quite believing. A focussed sound wave sliced its way across the room, speeding more quickly than anyone could react. All in its path were mown down-- and in a matter of moments, four men had been irrevocably lost to its power. 

Understanding seemed to belatedly dawn upon Shimegasa. He lunged forward to pry the flute from Neon's fingers, but she slid through his grasp evasively. Joker slipped in between the two of them to allow Neon time. 

"Apologies, especially after your kindness," said Joker, and his tone sounded quite sincere. "But this is nothing personal-- and business is business." 

"There's been no bad blood between our groups for years!" exploded Shimegasa, his face purple. 

"Obviously, Kurei-han isn't of the same opinion," explained Joker, dodging the other man's wild swings. 

A succession of gunshots went off, causing both members of the Uruha to instinctively duck. Shimegasa finally connected with Joker's face and gave him a punch which sent him staggering backwards. 

"Rhapsody!" exclaimed Neon, this time announcing her attack. 

Joker cringed. Not indoors... not indoors... the IDIOT. 

It was as though a bomb had exploded in the room. A giant section of the floor was suddenly just not there... fortunately, this room had been constructed over ground; otherwise, the whole floor might have given way into the basement. As it was, a large section of floor *above* where the Rhapsody had landed gave way, and several walls had large pieces missing from them. Joker eyed the damage warily. Were any of those walls load-bearing...? Flames were dancing merrily on piles of fallen curtains, and several live wires lay exposed on the ground, crackling and humming. 

Still, it had taken out the remainder of the men, in one fell swoop. 

All that was left was... 

"Fugue!" 

Chii's hand flew to her mouth as she watched as the last of the victims was claimed. He didn't have time to say a word-- her husband only made a little choking sound, before crumpling to his knees and lying still on a pile of debris left over from the last attack. 

Chii glared at Neon. The tears were streaming down her cheeks, although partly because of the smoke coming from the firey draperies. 

"You've killed him. You've killed my friends. Take me!" she said fiercely, her fingers flexing and unflexing into claws. 

"I won't," said Neon, shaking her head. 

"Because I've been kind to you!" sneered Chii. "If this is how you repay kindness-- may you and your accursed leader experience your own downfall soon! Just as I and my men have been torn down-- so will you be torn down! And soon!" 

It took a few seconds for the words to register. 

"Y-your men?" Neon faltered. Her flute was still held to her lips, although she had ceased to play. 

"Yes, my men," spat Chii. "My husband was Shimegasa... so I, too, am Shimegasa. I ruled my empire in my husband's name. All thought that *he* was in charge, when he was only my puppet through which I gave my orders. But puppet or not, I still loved him... I loved him... I loved all my men... and you killed them! Can you say that *your* master loves *you*?" 

"My-- Kurei cares for his people, just as anyone would," said Neon. But her words faltered over the lie, and Chii was astute enough to recognize that. 

"Your Kurei," she said scornfully. "Your Kurei would be *nothing* without his underlings. If his Uruha was ever scattered, he would be a weak dog with his tail tucked between his legs. He wouldn't be a man at all. He *isn't* a man, he's a demon!" 

Neon's eyes flashed angrily. "Don't say that! You don't even know him!" she shouted. 

"He's a demon!" insisted Chii. "Even I know enough about him to know that he has no loves. He has no passions. He has no heart. He has no soul. In fact, right now, this very minute, he's only a weak dog, for all that he's driven around by that pseudo-father of his!" 

"Don't SAY such things!" Neon half-screamed. 

"You protest because you see the truth in my words!" said Chii mockingly. "And tell me, what good is a dog's dog? For that's what you are. You go against your own instincts, your own wants, and your own desires-- that's the *only* reason my men are dead, and that's the only reason I'll join them so quickly. Because you can't think for yourself. Because you blindly do what you're told. You're a puppet... just his puppet... a puppet for a dog, and if you died with me, he wouldn't care," taunted Chii. 

"I told you, NO!" Her voice was an inhuman shriek at the moment; she could stand it no longer. 

She played a few last notes. 

Those were the last things that Chii heard. 

*** 

"Shimegasa will no longer bother you," stated Neon shortly. "They have been wiped out." 

"All of them?" asked Kurei, not looking at her. Rather, he was leafing through some papers. 

"All of them," answered Neon stolidly. 

"Good," replied Kurei. "You may go." 

::Good. You may go. That's it?:: thought Neon, looking at him with an odd expression. It was as though she had finished scraping the ice from his windshield. All she had done was merely clear an obstacle away from his happiness. 

But that was what he wanted, right? 

That was what she wanted to do for him, right? 

Kurei glanced at her. "Anything else?" he inquired testily. 

"No, sir," said Neon, and left, shutting the door behind her. 

   [1]: http://reccamuseum.myqth.com



End file.
